As Socrates is believed to have said, Know Thyself. In Ayurveda one place to start this journey of self knowledge is by understanding your dosha or ayurvedic body type. What combination of vata, pitta or kapha are you?
I have found this knowledge to be critical in understanding myself and those around me. Knowing your dosha can help you make better decisions about what to eat, what type of exercise to do, suitable hobbies, and career decisions.
What’s Your Ayurvedic Body Type?
Use th following table to discover your constitutional type.
Choose the description that describes you best and add up your answers from the three columns. The highest number indicates your primary dosha. If two are equal, then you have a dual constitution.
| VATA (air) | PITTA (fire) | KAPHA (earth) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body Size | slim and don’t gain weight easily | naturally muscular | large, padded build |
| Hair | thin and frizzy | oily with easy loss | thick |
| Height | tall with long limbs | medium height with muscular legs | shortish with curves |
| Eyes | small | penetrating | big and calm |
| Teeth | irregular and crowded | medium with soft gums | big and white |
| Skin | dry in areas | pinkish, warm and sweaty | cool and oily |
| Nails | dry, split and thin | soft and reddish | thick and smooth |
| Lips | thin lips | red lips | thick lips |
| Chin | angular | taperedd | big and rounded |
| Face | thin, long face | triangular or heart-shaped face | round face |
| Neck | long and slim | medium sized | thick |
| Chest | small | medium | large |
| Joints | crack easily | strong | large |
| Appetite | irregular | strong | steady yet moderate |
| Digestion | tendency to constipation and gas | tendency to acidity and diarrhoea | tendency to get sleepy after eating |
| Mind | learn things quickly and forget them quickly | learn thing quickly and remember them | learn things slowly and remember them |
| Conversation | a fast and profuse talker | I like conversations with a purpose | I enjoy listening and talk slowly |
| Ideal career | like doing creative, expressive things | am ambitious and entrepreneurial | like to build things and serve others |
| Climate preference | feel the cold easily | prefer winter to summer | dislike humidity |
| Sleep | a sensitive sleeper | can sleep for short periods | have deep, sound sleep |
| Dreams | often of travel or flying | exciting and sometimes violent | my dreams are romantic and relaxing |
| Money | I make it and spend it spontaneously | I make it and spend it on planned purchases | I save money and spend it thoughhtfully |
| Mental tendency | I get spaced out easily | I an intense and precise | I get sentimental easily |
| Disease tendency | Sudden, shifting symptoms | Burning, intense sensations | Slow to occur and slow to overcome |
| Interaction | I like change, to try new things | I like to convince, win in anythhing | I like to support, without judgement |
| TOTAL |
Of course, most of us are more than one dosha. I can relate to many of the characteristics in the Kapha list and many of my partner’s in the Pitta list. There are just so many applications for this knowlegde, which I will touch on in another article.
If you want to learn more about the doshas and how to apply them to increase your health and well-being, join us for our in depth, Certificate in Clinical Ayurveda.